In the current technical evolution to the next generation network (NGN), a plurality of means, such as softswitch, IP multimedia core network subsystem (IMS), H.323, session initiation protocol (SIP) server, can be used to implement the interaction of multimedia information such as voices, videos or even short messages over packet networks such as an Internet protocol (IP) and conventional telephone switch networks such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN). The trend of replacing time division multiplex (TDM) with IP has already been determined, and has been widely applied. Compared to the conventional circuit-based voice technique, voice over IP (VoIP) does not only have low costs, but the quality of voice has been significantly improved with the increase of bandwidth; in addition, various multimedia applications based on IP enables the VoIP to have a very strong attraction.
In another aspect, the progress of the broadband technique is changing with each passing day in recent years. In the wired aspect, the broadband technique is changing from the asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ASDL) to the very high data rate DSL (VDSL) to various passive optical networks (PON) (xPON); and in the wireless aspect, the broadband technique is changing from the general packet radio service (GPRS) to the HSPDA to the worldwide interoperability for microwave access (Wimax) to the long term evolution (LTE). With the increase of bandwidth, multimedia services are borne with higher and higher proficiency. In these wireless access techniques, the maturity of the wireless fidelity (WiFi) technique and the large deployment of WiFi access points (AP) enable free or concessional access to the Internet in family/enterprise/hotspot regions to enjoy high-speed Internet surfing. In particular, with the popularity of products such as APPLE iPhone and iPad, the mobile broadband has an explosive growth, and WiFi plays a more and more important role due to its high speed and free of charge.
Numerous Internet service providers (ISP) have developed various soft terminals and provide subscribers with services of IM, PRESENCE and VoIP, such as MSN, Skype. Most of these terminals are PC-based, and in particular, for real-time services such as voice, services such as computer-computer (PC-PC) free calling and computer-telephone (PC-PHONE) pre-charged calling may be provided for registered subscribers, thereby saving the call expense of the subscribers. For the clients of a PC version, the biggest disadvantage is that the operation is relatively inconvenient. Generally, a normal subscriber will not carry a PC or a notebook computer, and VoIP cannot be used without these; even if the subscriber carries a PC or a notebook computer, he/she needs to turn on the computer, enter the operating system, operate the soft terminal, input the account and password, and then input a called number, and thus the call can be implemented. Compared to mobile phone terminals and fixed-line telephones, it has the defects of inconvenient use and complicated operation process.
Some providers and device manufacturers are also formulating RCS and RCS-e and unifying specifications and requirements on software installed on mobile phones, so as to enhance intercommunity. However, as regards RCS-e, it is mainly concentrated on specifications of non-real-time services such as IM and file transmission, while as regards real-time services such as voice and short messages, they are explicitly required to go over conventional domains. Some mobile phone clients, due to the limit of wireless bandwidth, mainly provide non-real-time services such as IM chatting, file/picture transmission, and social networking, but do not include real-time services such as voice/videos.
Some device manufacturers directly design and manufacture specified hardware terminals supporting WiFi or other high-speed wireless bearer techniques, and pre-installed with corresponding software clients so as to support corresponding real-time and non-real-time services. However, in one aspect, the subscriber needs to carry one more specified customized mobile phone terminal supporting WiFi besides the current existing mobile phone (supporting GSM, WCDMA, CDMA or CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA or subsequent techniques); in another aspect, because of the development and numerous and abundant applications of the current Apple iOS and Android smart phone systems, such customized terminal is pale by comparison due to the lack of other services.
Some terminals with mobile phone clients also provide real-time services such as VoIP. However, some terminals can only provide PC-PC or PC-PHONE calling, and it needs to occupy wireless PS bandwidth such as GPRS, EDGE, HSPDA, and the quality of voice cannot be guaranteed, and the subscriber still needs to pay a large amount of PS bandwidth fees; some terminals can support social networking services such as IM and PRESENCE, but it needs to constantly query and update states of friends, and thus consuming a large amount of bandwidth, especially under PS such as GPRS, EDGE and HSPDA; some clients support social networking services such as IM and PRESENCE, however, with regards to a VoIP call, the subscriber can only select a PC account of a called friend subscriber as the called party, but cannot associate with a mobile phone number, a home number or a working number thereof and then connect same.
Some clients supporting social networking services such as IM and PRESENCE may associate multiple subscriber numbers, such as a mobile number and a fixed number, of a client with each other at the same time, such that when this account is called, simultaneous ringing or sequential ringing can be performed so as to perform connecting. However, as regards sequential ringing, in an extreme case, the connecting time will be very long which affects the experience of the caller side subscriber; meanwhile, since the called number is indefinite, the caller side subscriber does not clearly know which called number (mobile or fixed number) is really connected, and thus the fees may be different, which affects the financial experience of the caller side. At last, as regards providers, whether simultaneous ringing or sequential ringing, the connection is implemented by means of calling attempt, which will occupy a large number of resources for calling attempt, and the more the bound numbers are, the more the occupation is, and the less the economic is. Some clients are operated by means of pre-charging, etc.; however, the subscriber cannot learn the rate before the call is connected, but the continuous fee deduction is displayed during the call; therefore, the right of selecting a rate for calling the called subscriber is not provided for the subscriber.
With regards to the problem that a calling subscriber cannot learn or select a rate of calling the called subscriber before the call is connected in the related art, there is still not effective solution proposed now.